The present invention relates to radiation sensors and more particularly to sensors for detecting the presence of laser beams.
It is important to warn persons being targeted by laser beam radiation, such as infra-red radiation, that they are in fact being targeted. Such laser beams can be directed at targeted individuals by laser weapons systems and electronic eavesdropping apparatus using lasers and employed by adversaries in carrying out military and espionage activities respectively. There is a need for an improved sensor device for rapidly sensing such laser light over a broad bandwidth. Such device should produce an output warning signal regardless of the incident angle of illumination of the threatening laser beam, and thus be independent of the angle of incidence. There is also a need for such a laser beam detection device which ideally is cheap to manufacture, and which is robust and can be very broadband to rapidly detect any incoming radiation of interest without delay. In combat situations, there is no time to determine the illumination wavelength of the light beam projected by an adversary at its target.